Hot plate



Jan. 1952 ALAJ 2,582,735

HOT PLATE Filed March 28, 1949 NVENTOR ATTORNEY$ Patented Jan. 15, 1952.

UNITED STAT as PATENT OFFICE nor PLATE AntoinelnfAlaj, ArlingtomVa. application March as, 1949', "Serial No. 83,91 7

This invention relates to a hot plate,and,,more particularly, to a devicefor maintaining several plates or the like, and, the contents thereof,,in heated condition during servicaas while. en route from the kitchen to the table or: while standing" either in the kitchen or on thetable.

A primary object of the invention is toprovide an improved hot plate characterized by clined side wan l8, a d nular peripheral rim), and a central circular depressed portion 2 0.

--material 2| such as-asbestos, or the like.

Adapted "to be seated within recess 29 is a circular heatretaining element or disc 22, comprised ofasuitable metal which may be alumimeans whereby a serving plate or the like may be maintained in heated condition for,a. r'e'la-" tively long period of time, to insure these'rving of the food on the plate in hot condition.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character provided with a cover plate of novel configuration whereby to retain the heat imparted to the plate in relatively close proximity thereto.

An additional object of the invention is to provide such a device so arranged and constructed that a plurality of the devices may be stacked or nested in such manner that a relatively large number of heated plates may be simultaneously conveyed from the kitchen to the table.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such a hot plate of the character disclosed substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure l as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows, the cover being shown in position.

Figure 3 is a reduced side elevational view, partially in section, showing a plurality of the devices in nested or stacked relation.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawngs.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is generally indicated at I a dish or container, preferably round in plan, the side walls ll of which are concavely arcuate in cross sectional configuration, and the bottom of which is provided with a circular peripheral flange l2, hav-' ing an upwardly offset bottom l3, the rim I4 '01? which interiorly of the dish l0 forms a seat for a. flange l5 depending from the bottom of a housing generally indicated at IS, the latter including a bottom plate I I adapted to rest upon the top of ofiset bottom 13, an angular-1y innum or the like, adapted to be heated to a relatively high degree and retain its heat for a substantial periodof time.'- Disc22 may, if

desired, be provided with a central bore or aperture 23 to facilitate positioning and removal thereof. The upper portion of the side walls ll of dish 10 are provided with a peripheral flange 23a, extending vertically,'adapted to be encircled by a depending corresponding flange 24 of a lid or cover member generally indicated at 25 which includes arcuate exteriorly concaved side walls 26 and a downwardly offset top wall 21 provided peripherally with upwardly extending side walls 28 terminating in a horizontal flange 29, thus forming a depression of an internal diameter slightly in excess of the external diameter of flange [2, whereby the lower portion of dish I!) may be seated or nested in the recess in the top of cover 25, as best shown in Figure 3.

If desired the recess in cover 25 may be provided with a centrally positioned finger engaging aperture 30 to facilitate removal and positioning thereof. 7

In the use and operation of the device the disc 22 is adapted to be first preheated, as in an oven or the like, to a desired temperature, and then placed in the recess formed in the top of member l6 which has been previously positioned within dish II]. A serving plate 3|, provided with the conventional depending flange 32, is then adapted to be positioned over the heated member 22, food to be served hot placed on the plate, and the cover or lid 25 placed thereover. A plurality of the devices may then be stacked or nested for trans-,

portation to the table, and the arrangement is such that the food on the plate 3| is retained in a heated or hot condition for a relatively long period of time.

The dish l0 and its lid 25 may be constructed of any desired material, although a material such as aluminum has been found preferable due to its high heatretentive qualities, and, correspondingly, both disc 22 and member [6 may also be of any desired heat retentive material. Correspondingly, the size of the device may also be varied to accommodate a variety of sizes of plates, and the shape may also be other than circular, as for example, oval, rectangular, or polygonal.

From the foregoing, it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved hot plate which accomplishes all the objects of this invention and others, including many advantage of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept and as' various modifications may be made in the embodiment herein shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative. and not in a limiting sense. 7

What I claim: 1

A hot dish container comprising a member formed with a flared side wall upon the upper edge or which the rim of a dishis adapted to seat, an upwardly extending flange carried by saidside wall within which the dish loosely engages, said member having a bottom wall, said bottom wall having an upwardly offset central wall portion. a

relatively thin closed housing within said member spaced from the flared side walls andrseated on said centralrwallportion heat insulating means in said housing, said housing andinsulation being removable as a unit, a depending annular flange carried by said housing engaging' about said offset central portion to thereby hold said housing concentric to said member andspaced V from the flared side wall, a downwardly ofiset recess formed in the top Wall of said housing, and a disc-shaped heat retaining element in said recess and projecting above the top wall of said housing for, close heat exchange relation with the bottom of a dish seated on said side wall, the combined closed housing and heat retaining element being of a height no greater than substantially half that of the flared side wall.

ANTOINE L. ALAJ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 7 Name Date sonea -Ei tch July 15, 1873 189,412 Wright Apr. 10, 1877 54:7,159 Baraban Oct. 15, 1895 1,045,101 Wojidkow Nov. 19, 1912 1,049,385 1 Mohrenwitz -Jan. 7, 1913 11,370,122 Adam Mar. 18, 1921 1.429.733 fS cott i, Sept. 19, 1922 1,635,918 1 Alaj July 12, 1927 1.193393 Alaj Feb. 17, 1931 1,94q,1i'12 Hybinette Dec. 19, 1923 1943.778 7 Zola 'Feb. 27, 1934 I FOREIGN PATENTS Number" jCountry Date Switzerland Sept. 1, 1920 

